1. ISSUE The growth of the Internet has been the biggest social and technological change in recent timesreduces barriers to trade, and is playing a huge role in supporting sustainable development in Rwanda. Increasing use of the Internet and other digital technologies increases our vulnerability to cyber threats, increasing dependence on cyberspace has brought new risks, Criminals are increasingly using cyber space to gain access to personal information, steal businesses’ intellectual property, and gain knowledge of sensitive government-held information for financial or political gain or other malicious. 1.1. INTRODUCTION The government of Rwanda has embarked on developing a cyber security policy and strategy as response to the growing cyber threat and improving cyber security for individuals, businesses, critical national infrastructure and government. 1.2. CONTEXT Given the vision to become a middle-income, knowledge-based economy, it is imperative that great importance be attached to the efficient handling of knowledge and information. Rwanda’s goal to be a regional ICT Hub, and considering current ICT industry growth trends, has made Cyber security a compelling priority for Rwanda. Cyber Security was identified as a key priority for the third phase of NICI, in order to ensure secure management of all deployed ICT assets that support Rwanda’s ICT goals. The cyber security policy for Rwanda shall create a framework for defining and guiding the actions related to security of cyber space. The policy framework should provide the foundation required to ensure that initiatives by public and private sectors continue to enjoy consistent and undiminished support throughout the coming years, up to realization of the visions encompassed in the afore-mentioned strategy documents. The cyber security policy is developed in line with national, regional and international recommendations on cyber security, including but not limited to, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Africa Union (AU) and East Africa Community (EAC) recommendations. 5

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